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In what was arguably the most thrilling game of the season, PSG came out with a magnificent win as goals from Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos sunk the mighty Bavarians.
The Paris outfit came seeking revenge as, despite missing their key players in defense & midfield, PSG took home the win. They bagged three away goals as well as securing a one-goal advantage going into the second leg.
Fans witnessed a Champions League classic. The pandemic has certainly taken away a bit of fun and excitement from football games, but this encounter was a different story.
With Mbappe and Neymar waiting to pounce on the counter-attack and Bayern looking for every loophole in PSG's defensive set-up, one couldn't take their eyes off the screen.
Mbappe showcased his blistering speed in just 3 minutes as he got on the end of a Neymar through ball before unleashing a shot which went right through Manuel Neuer's hands and into the net. Bayern seemed to wake up after the goal but despite their sustained pressure, it was PSG who scored again, this time through Marquinhos.
Bayern fell prey to two brilliant moves by PSG, but they were far from done as goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thomas Muller brought them right back in the game before the one-hour mark.
However, the home side's defense seemed to run out of gas as they were helpless against Mbappe's explosive bursts down the flanks. PSG's marksman scored again, releasing his shot through Boateng's legs to make it 3-2 to the visitors.
The skill, tactical superiority and consistency displayed by PSG was top-notch as they defeated the champions in style. One would argue Bayern had better chances, but it was all down to which team was capable enough to put the ball in the back of the net multiple times.
Champagne football on the night by the men in white as Neymar & Mbappe combined to inspire a one-of-a-kind performance at the Allianz Arena.
#5 Robert Lewandowski was a huge miss for Bayern Munich
In a game where Bayern Munich had close to 30 shots attempted, Robert Lewandowski might've been able to score a couple of hat-tricks, taking into consideration his form this season. The Polish striker has been scoring goals for fun and Mauricio Pochettino would be glad Lewandowski was deemed unfit for the game.
Although Choupo-Moting managed to get one over his former club, scoring the opener for Bayern, Lewandowski would've been able to affect the proceedings far more than the former PSG forward.
Bayern created chances aplenty, but not having a seasoned striker in the box arguably cost them the first leg.
If reports are anything to go by, Lewandowski could be missing the second leg as well, which means Bayern travel to Paris next week with pretty much the same squad; a huge challenge to tackle for Hansi Flick and Co. as they look to defend their UCL title.
#4 Smash & grab performance by the visitors; Bayern's high line exposed
Mauricio Pochettino set up his team to defend the spaces and not allow Bayern's pacy forwards to get in behind their backline. The visitors lined up in two banks of four, with Neymar and Mbappe leading in a 4-4-2 set up. The aim was clear from the start - sit back & counter-attack.
This did not come as a surprise, as Mbappe's physicality & pace was the perfect solution to break Bayern's defense. The former Monaco player made several runs behind the defense, often beating the high press and finding himself in acres of space.
Hansi Flick soon realized his mistake. The manager hooked off Niklas Sule & Leon Goretzka right before half-time, bringing on Jerome Boateng and Alphonse Davies, and pushing David Alaba ahead to play alongside Joshua Kimmich in midfield.
This way, Bayern's defense had more quality with & without the ball as shown by the lack of chances PSG had after the first 30 minutes of the game.
#3 Neymar Jr pulling the strings & Kylian Mbappe stealing the show
The €400 million-worth duo had Bayern Munich's defense on the strings, to say the least. Hansi Flick was left scratching his head by the lethal transitions he witnessed on the night. The pair ran past players with ease, making darting runs into the box, as Angel Di Maria and Draxler were tasked with supplying the right passes into their path.
In an effervescent display of pure magic and composure, Neymar dropped one of his best performances in a PSG shirt as the Brazilian set up two goals for Mbappe. Neymar's tailor-made dribbles and his ability to attract defenders created immense space for Mbappe to bomb into. Their performance culminated in a deserved win for the away side.
#2 A monumental performance by Keylor Navas
Kylian Mbappe stole the show, but Keylor Navas silently produced another European masterclass. The 34-year-old recorded a whopping 10 saves.
The Costa-Rican goalkeeper has undoubtedly been one of the best Champions League players of the last decade. He has completed a three-peat of UCL titles with Real Madrid.
Safe to say, the Paris outfit have been blessed with one of the best players in between the sticks, who will be one of the major reasons if PSG make it to the semi-finals of this competition.
#1 Plethora of injures for Pochettino to deal with & everything to play for in the second leg!
While the focus was on Bayern Munich not having their talisman Robert Lewandowski, Paris Saint-Germain were without as many as 4 starting XI players for this fixture.
Pochettino traveled to Germany with a depleted squad as Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi, Alessandro Florenzi, Juan Bernat, Layvin Kurzawa & Leandro Paredes all missed out due to injuries.
Verratti is often the orchestrator for Paris, playing one of the most important roles in the team. Without him, the chances of getting a result at Allianz were thin but Pochettino and Co. managed to pull off an upset.
Despite PSG winning the first leg, the fixture is far from done as Bayern Munich displayed their ability to create unlimited goalscoring chances, breaking down the away side's deep block with ease. The visitors were slightly lucky that the Bavarians had an off day in the final third but that probably won't be the case next week.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick's tactical nous will be tested to the tee as he will have to find a formula to stop Neymar and Mbappe from having an impact on the second leg.
